Furnace Room Dos and Don’ts

December 6, 2012

There are many things we here at Reliance have learned over the years, especially when it comes to taking care of and maintaining furnaces. This month, we want to share our tips for what should and should not be done with your furnace and furnace room.

Customer safety and education is of the utmost importance to us. Furnace rooms are typically among the most neglected rooms in the house. Nonetheless, they require attention and could pose a threat to you and your family if proper precautions are not taken.

To help ensure your family’s comfort, safety and health, we have pulled together a list of simple tips on what not to do with your furnace and furnace room. Not only will these actions keep your family out of harm’s way, but they will also impact how well your furnace functions.

Make space. Since furnaces and hot water heaters are powered by electricity or fossil fuels such as oil, propane or natural gas, it is important to ensure the furnace has adequate space for proper ventilation. You will also want to be sure there is enough space to allow for any maintenance or repair work that might need to be done.

Storage solutions. Don’t store any unnecessary items in your furnace room. Furnace rooms should be kept clear of clutter that can obstruct service and maintenance work as well as interfere with how well your equipment runs.

Keep it clean and safe. We know that not every home has a separate furnace room and that sometimes it’s necessary to use it for storage. If your furnace room doubles as storage or laundry space, be sure to keep it organized and clean by doing the following:

Don’t hang laundry or clotheslines from your equipment. Not only is this a major fire hazard, but it can also impact airflow and your equipment’s ability to ventilate properly.

Don’t place kitty litter near the furnace. The ammonia fumes from the litter can actually corrode the furnace’s heat exchanger and the odours can circulate throughout the home.

Don’t keep any cleaning or laundry products near the furnace. Store them in airtight containers.

Don’t store anything that is combustible at low flash points such as gasoline, paint and paint thinners.

Don’t leave used filters or old furnace parts lying around.

And finally, don’t forget to tidy your furnace area regularly. Be sure to vacuum and clean around the furnace, and the burner compartment to prevent any dust buildup.

I just read the article on furnace rooms. One thing you did not mention was air flow into the room. If there is a door on the furnace room, it should have a vent in it to allow makeup air into the room. If the room is sealed, there is a possibility for a backdraft situation, where the burner will draw air DOWN the chimney to try to get combustion air. Makes for a nasty & possibly deadly situation.